We will have a couple of guests this month to tell us about the St. Sebastian River State Buffer Preserve and some of the activities that go on there. Steve Williams is an Environmental Specialist at the Preserve and will be telling us about the manatee monitoring program that they conduct, and will give us some "stats" about what they have been observing. This program is conducted with volunteers and they always welcome more, if you are interested. You can contact the Preserve at 321-953-5004.
   We will also have a brief photo tour of the Preserve. Judy Elseroad is a volunteer at the Preserve and helps with their scrub jay research. She is also a wonderful photographer and will be showing us some of her slides of the Preserve, with the assistance of Joanne Finley, who is a Naturalist at the Environmental Learning Center.
   Access to most of the Preserve is by foot or horseback only, and therefore many people don't have, or haven't taken the opportunity to see what's out there. It is really quite a spectacular piece of native, wild Florida. Come see for yourself!
   The program will be on Tuesday, March 26 at 7:30 P.M. at the Roseland Community Center on Bay Street in Roseland. The Community Center is on the river at the end of 129^th Place, which is the second right hand turn off Roseland Road after crossing the railroad tracks, going westbound from Route 1. All are invited and refreshments will be served.

   March has been declared Seagrass Awareness Month in Florida. Read Governor Bush's proclamation by going to the state's website at: www8.myflorida.com/environment/news/seagrass. While you are there read some of the other interesting articles about seagrasses in Florida or check out the "seagrass links page" at the FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website at: www.floridaconservation.org.
   Seagrasses found around Florida's coastline are the most productive in the entire United States. South Florida's seagrass community is the largest sea meadow in the world, and up to 90% of Florida's marine life depends upon seagrasses for survival. But the grasses are threatened and once gone can take years to return.

source: Florida Marine Research Institute

   Our meeting in January was also our annual business meeting, at which the membership voted on this year's slate of nominees to our Board of Directors. We would like to welcome two new members to our board - Charles Cardinale and Buzz Herrmann. Also thanks to the continuing dedication of our other re-elected board members - Carolyn Corum, Shirley Kilkelly, Anne Putman, Lynn Stieglitz and Frank Wegel.